“What would our energy system look like if the move to a low-carbon society wasn’t left to governments and big energy companies but was instead led by civil society?” – asks Dr. Stephen Hall, a Research Fellow in energy economics and policy at the University of Leeds (UK). Hall is co-author of a new report… Keep reading →
Former FERC Chairman, Jon Wellinghoff spoke in an interview about the need to harden the electric grid from security threats by expanding the use of microgrids and distributed generation. “People are beginning to understand that they need their own onsite capabilities to island themselves from the grid. That’s because the grid’s external vulnerabilities will continue… Keep reading →
ARPA-E has announced $33M in funding under its new REBELS program to support innovative distributed generation technologies. On June 19, 2014, the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced $33M in funding for 13 projects through its new Reliable Electricity Based on Electrochemical Systems (REBELS) program. The new projects will focus on… Keep reading →
We could all learn to get along without cell phones. And many of us are already learning to get along without cable TV. But civilization as we know it could not get along without electricity, which makes the electric industry – the generation, transmission and delivery of power – one of our most vital,… Keep reading →
As economies and populations grow, standards of living improve for billions of people, and with it the need for energy continues to rise. Or as World Bank Group President Dr. Jim Yong Kim put it “energy is a critical part of boosting prosperity and eradicating poverty.” The world’s center of gravity is shifting more and… Keep reading →
Technology is the main driver for change – i.e. optimization, which leads to finding promising technological solutions for pressing global challenges – and for increased productivity in the modern world. However, for mankind to continue along this trajectory, appropriate investment is often dependent on the public’s understanding and awareness of promising technologies’ potential, as well… Keep reading →
The launch of President Obama’s Power Africa campaign in mid-2013 pushed major generation projects back to the forefront of electricity planning in Africa, signalling for some a return to the era of the dramatic gesture, the big solution to a big problem. But, while this and other similar projects grab the headlines, CITAC argues that… Keep reading →
The internet of things (IoT) is changing the way we interact with nearly all facets of our world, including the electric grid. These days, you can already control your smart thermostat with your smart phone; it’s easy to imagine that smart solar panels and microgrids are not far behind. The term “smart grid” was coined… Keep reading →
Quick Take: When it comes to the pending electricity revolution, many utilities dither or postpone or explain away (“It may have happened to every other industry. But it will NEVER happen to us. Because we’re special.”) Many environmental groups, on the other hand, are stepping up. They are not just saying that something must change.… Keep reading →
